1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an accessory for an outdoor grill which aids in the more rapid ignition of the charcoal and keeps the grill clean by acting as a receptacle for ash and grease drippings.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Charcoal grills are commonly used for cooking foodstuffs such as meats and vegetables in the outdoors, for example during backyard barbecues. Such grills usually have a bowl within which a grate is supported. The grate in turn supports the burning charcoal. At the bottom of the bowl vent holes are provided to allow circulation of air through the burning charcoal. A major drawback of these types of grills is that falling charcoal ash and dripping juices and grease from the foodstuffs being cooked, tends to soil the bottom of the grill bowl and clog the vent holes.
Removing the ash and cleaning the bottom of the grill bowl is a laborious and unsavory chore because the soil is burned onto the surface of the bowl bottom, and-thus the soil strongly adheres to the surface of the bowl bottom. Therefore, hazardous chemicals and hard scrubbing must be employed to clean the grill bowl, thus subjecting the person cleaning the grill to hard physical exertion and to the unpleasant odors of hazardous cleaning chemicals and burnt animal and vegetable matter.
For the aforementioned reasons, various devices have been proposed in the prior art for preventing ash, and drippings from food, from falling to the bottom of the grill bowl. However, none of the references discussed below are seen to teach or suggest a pan having the projecting air towers of the present invention.
The present invention has the further advantage that the air towers greatly facilitate the circulation of air past the charcoal bed, thus leading to a quicker ignition of the charcoal and to the charcoal burning at a hotter temperature.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,385, issued to Doolittle et al., shows an outdoor grill having a removable receptacle at the bottom of the grill bowl for collecting ash. Doolittle et al. do not teach or suggest an ash and drippings collector usable with existing grills.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,618, issued to Davidson, shows a hexagonal bowl with projections at its bottom. The hexagonal bowl forms part of a disposable cooking apparatus. Davidson does not teach or suggest the air towers of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,134, issued to Fielding et al., shows a barbecue grill ash collector which attaches to the legs supporting the grill. The ash collector has a sliding bottom to allow the ashes to be emptied into a trash bag. Fielding et al. do not show a waste receptacle that fits inside the bowl of a charcoal grill.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,405, issued to Snow, shows a charcoal igniting device having upper and lower plates which are spaced apart to define an air space therebetween. The upper plate has air outlet apertures extending therethrough, and the lower plate has air inlet apertures extending therethrough. Snow does not show a receptacle for ash and drippings.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,640, issued to Schnack et al., shows a barbecue grill ash collector which attaches to the legs supporting the grill. The ash collector has a support ring and a catch basin movably attached to the support ring. U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,640, does not show a waste receptacle that fits inside the bowl of a charcoal grill.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,059, issued to McLane, Sr., shows a grease collector for a gas grill. McLane, Sr., does not show an ash receptacle or the air towers of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,276,869, issued to Kern, shows a molded refractory slab for use with a grill. The slab is a flat piece of material with frustoconical projections. Kern does not show the air towers of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,684,087, issued to Anderson, shows a portable grilling apparatus having a pan for holding the charcoal and a perforated plate above the pan to support foodstuffs. Anderson does not teach or suggest the air towers of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 299,690, issued to Schnack et al., shows a barbecue grill ash collector which attaches to the legs supporting the grill. The ash collector has a support ring and a catch basin movably attached to the support ring. U.S. Pat. No. Des. 299,690, does not show a waste receptacle that fits inside the bowl of a charcoal grill.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.